Rodeo style roping and animal events are a hallmark of American and Western culture. As the popularity and number of participants of these events has increased there has arisen a need to develop training systems where participants may practice these often dangerous events in a safe and controlled environment. The current inventive technology addresses this long felt need and may comprise, in some embodiments methods and apparatus for an improved animal roping system which may act as a training device and/or system for practicing roping, flanking, gathering, and tying as well as tie-downs, breakaways or other animal tying rodeo events on an animal form, such as a calf or goat that represents an improved realistic shape, size and feel of a real animal. The current invention may be adapted to a variety of users as well as animal forms. In some embodiments such inventive improvements may include a more realistic animal roping animal form which may be used to simulate roping a live animal and may further be used to practice roping and/or other techniques in a controlled and safe environment. This is especially helpful and important for younger participants that are in the early stages of learning these roping and tying type events. The current inventive technology may assist a user in increasing their speed in tying a calf or goat as would occur in a calf-roping, goat-tying or breakaway roping competition in rodeos and the like. Further embodiments of the current inventive technology may allow for a more precise roping simulation further aiding the user in becoming more efficient at roping various live and/or simulated animals.
In the current inventive technology, such an improved animal roping system (1) may include for example an animal form (2), at least one tractable leg element (3), at least one joint element (4), at least one resilient torsion control joint connection (5) which may be articulated in such a manner so as to be tension coupled allowing for tractable individual elements that more replicate the movement and resistances displayed in a live animal. In additional embodiments as will be detailed below, such animal form may be mounted on a support element (8) through, for example a support attachment element (6) and either be maintained in a stationary position or perhaps conveyed though a plurality of mechanisms. As such, this improved animal roping system (1) may be used for: 1) rating your horse with the animal form (2); 2) roping a animal form (2) off the horse; 3) getting off your horse with the animal form (2) attached to your rope which may be tied unto the saddle horn; and 4) flanking, stringing, gathering, and tying in for example calf roping or goat-tying events. In addition the current inventive technology may allow for a user to mimic the various actions of starting in the box to crawling back on the horse after the animal form (2), such as a calf is tied. The current invention may act as a training tool allowing a user to practice realistic training such as roping and tying a calf down in a controlled environment. In additional embodiments a user may use a break-away rope which may mimic the actions of roping an animal up to the point of getting off the horse and tying the calf or other animal.
The current inventive technology may have numerous objectives that address and solve long felt needs within the industry and represent an inventive leap forward in the field of animal roping systems. Generally the state of the art is deficient due to the lack of innovation as well as construction and materials used. Generally available animal roping forms are unable to mimic life-like movements and feel of real animals common to rodeo roping activities and as such are limited in their ability to provide realistic training opportunities. Many are simple frame structures or non-articulated animal forms that cannot be manipulated to accurately replicate life-like animal movements and resistances. Many use rudimentary materials that are overly-rigid and do not replicate the pliable feel of a live roping animal. In addition many use inadequate materials that easily wear out and cannot be easily detached and/or replaced. These deficiencies are especially limiting as such animal roping systems are subjected to extreme torsional and frictional forces during practice sessions as well as harsh exposures to extreme cold and heat as well as dirt and moisture. As such, the current inventive technology may incorporate such improvements herein described making the current inventive technology superior to known prior art. Objectives of the current technology in some embodiments may include but are not be limited to:                Providing an animal form that may be tension coupled such that said individual articulating elements may be tractable so as to more fully replicate the feel and resistances of real roping animals.        Providing a animal form of such construction that it may represent a realistic representation of a live calf or other animal form and its use greatly improves and speeds up the calf-roping ability of a person practicing for rodeo competition.        Form and mount for example tractable leg elements such that for example rear legs may be swung forwardly from hip portions and the front legs bent rearwardly at their shoulders and knees and the front and rear legs then tied in overlapping relation to each other.        Provide a more realistic dummy calf having a body and legs formed of molded flexi foam rubber, the legs being tension coupled, which may allow the legs to be manipulated in the usual manner and front and rear legs tied together.        Provide a dummy form in the shape of for example a calf or goat which is approximately the size of animals used in calf-roping contests and so constructed that it may be thrown from a standing position onto its side and its legs tied in the same manner that the legs of a live calf's and/or goat's are tied in competition.        Provide a support element that may carry such a realistic animal form in the position and height as a live animal such as a calf. Such a support element may emulate for example a full calf run starting in the roping box in the arena on horseback, getting your horse to rate behind the calf in an optimal position to rope such a calf, swing and catch the calf, allowing the calf to stop and pop off the support element allowing the roper to get off the horse, go down the rope and flank and tie the animal form.        Assist in training a horse for example to hold a calf rope tight as in a live calf roping event to help flank a calf and prevent the calf from getting up or kicking while tying the legs.        
Further objects of the current inventive technology will be discussed directly and will also be inherently disclosed or made obvious in this application.